Pet owners desire a secure, safe and comfortable environment for their cherished pets. Oftentimes, owners will purchase pet beds in an attempt to provide a cozy and snug shelter in which their pets can rest and relax. While various structures are available, pet beds which provide soft and flexible enclosures are desirable. Preferably, a comfortable base surrounded around its perimeter by a sidewall creates a cradle-like structure between the sidewall and the base. This enclosure provides a secure and snug feeling to the pet which can lean against the sidewall while resting on the base. These types of pet beds are constructed from various materials, including suitable flexible material such as soft or cushioned foam. While a thicker foam material may result in a softer, more comfortable bed, typically it will create a bulkier configuration.
Nestability of bulky pet beds is a desirable feature to manufacturers and retailers in the industry. Retail shelving space is a premium and the ability to display multiple pet beds which are fully assembled is desirable. Typically, a lack of shelving space dictates that a sole "floor model " be displayed, while the pet beds which are actually for sale are stored in the back of the retail store away from the view of the customer. However, nested beds can be stacked neatly and compactly on retail shelving in their fully assembled configuration without distracting from the overall appearance of the bed. Further, nestable beds are less cumbersome to transport. The nestability feature creates a densely packed shipping container without the need to deform, fold or compress the beds. This is particularly desirable as the flexible material or foam may tend to retain an inflicted deformity rather than returning to its original shape.
A variety of pet beds are available. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,811 to McAlister discloses a cushion comprised of a pad made of a number of layers of fibers. While this structure seeks to provide a soft and comfortable resting place for a pet, it does not provide upwardly extending sidewalls which create a cradle-like structure for pets to snuggle against while resting on the cushion.
Other beds are available that feature a cradle-like structure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,981 to Barreto, III et al. discloses a pet bed having an upwardly extending sidewall which encloses a base around its perimeter. A removable cover which is washable separately encases the sidewall and the base. While the disclosed structure provides a preferred cradle-like enclosure for a pet, its substantially vertical sidewall prevents nesting of fully assembled beds.